Art Matrials Live - NEC

Just a timely reminder that UKCPS will have their usual stand at the forthcoming Art Materials Live Exhibition which starts next Thursday, 3rd November, and runs through until Sunday 6th. at the NEC, Birmingham.

Besides the 'have-a-go' section, some of our members will be demonstrating colour pencil techniques throughout the exhibition, and will be glad to say hello to visiting members.

There are always lots of offers at the show, but one of the best has been negotiated on behalf of our members with Artistpapers, suppliers of the well recommended 'Strathmore' paper.  Leaflets [illustrated on the right] are available on the UKCPS stand, or visit www.artistpapers.co.uk and enter the code: ' UKCPS' when you checkout your purchases.

Time For a Chat?

A reminder for UKCPS members that if you join the UKCPS Yahoo Group Forum, you can also access the 'Chat' room (click on the link 'CHAT').

7pm (GMT) is a good time to visit as Sarah Longrigg and Judith Crown are regular visitors at that time.  If they are busy chatting to one another when you enter the room - just type 'hello' or something, and they will respond.

UKCPS News

Members will have recieved their latest edition of the society newsletter by now. (if you haven't then let me or one of the Exec Committee know, and we'll sort it out!).

I take the opportunity to highlight the picture competition (deadline 10 December) on the theme of  'Texture in Wood'.  A lovely prize of 24 Conte watercolour pencils for the winner!

Nice to see the pictures submitted by some of our newer members!

Ann Barron - page links

UKCPS member, Anne Barron, is probably one of our most isolated members living as she does in Papil, West Burra, in the Shetland Isles.

You can link to Anne and view some of her work via her facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-Barron-Artist-and-Illustrator/449449030369

or via:

www.wildaboutart.co.uk

Pauline Longley - CP demo

Pauline Longley will be demonstrating CP at the
 The Blue Cedar Art Cafe Gallery, High St, Glastonbury, BA6 9DX, on Sunday 23rd October from 12-4pm.

  Pauline says  that the cafe has lovely food, but access is by a flight of stairs, so persons with a mobility disability may need to be aware.

Exec Committee vacancies

One of the outcomes from the recent AGM is the fact that the executive committee has an urgent need for new volunteers.  The comittee members are scattered throughout the UK, so the commttee only meets formally a couple of times a year, and most of the work is carried out/discussed via the internet.

The most important need at the moment is for a society Treasurer, and incidental to that, a volunteer independent Auditor (membership of UKCPS not essential), but we also need some volunteers to form a sub-committee charged with organising the society's exhibitions (the 2012 one is in Nuneaton, by the way).

If you think you could devote even a little bit of your time to the society's affairs, then please contact the Chairman, Barbara Murray, who will give further details (and will no doubt offer various enticements).

Barbara can be contacted via barbaramurray1@sky.com  

UKCPS 10th Exhibition - People's Vote Results

This is the last 'guest' post from me (Liz Ridley) and I will hand back the keyboard to Alan.

The result for the People's Awards was very unusual in that we have four winners instead of two. However many times I and my husband, John, counted the result was the same a two-way tie for both Coloured Pencil and Mixed Media.

The two winners for the St Cuthbert's Mill People's Choice Award for Coloured Pencil are:

Oriental Poppy by Ann Swan

Sentry by Pam Preller

Both received 21 votes each and will share the prize of £100 paper kindly donated by St Cuthbert's Mill. 

Now for the mixed media which are below. These share the Staedtler award of £50 and received 11 votes each. Congratulations to all four winners.

Urban Fox by Karen Coulson

Merlot by Ann Swan

There were a total of 457 votes and 121 pictures out of 228 were somebody's favourite. All the votes will be returned to the artist so they can see the kind comments left by people. Nearly everyone said it was difficult to choose just one picture. There was some evidence of family bias a certain picture of Westminster was painted by 'nanny' but I'm sure it was their favourite.

The exhibition has now closed and the clearing up has now been done. Suzy Herbert and her husband drove away in a van stuffed full of pictures to be posted around the country and the rest of the world. Thanks to the many helpers on Saturday, it certainly helped to share out the load and it all went very smoothly.  We only 'lost' one picture but on ringing the owner, who was obviously in a bar or similar, told us he had collected it but failed to tell anyone - that was a relief.

Many, many thanks to Pat for an incredible feat of organisation and surmounting all sorts of unpredictable hurdles, some of which I only heard about in her speech at the AGM. It is worth reading her report when it is published in TP to see what really went on behind the scenes. Thanks to all the other helpers who I am sure will be named in Talking Point in the formal report.